Friday, March 29, 2013

Past week or so was alone at home. Got in touch with a few of my old friends who I have not met for about 19 years. Just hi how are you on FB till now. When one of them coincidentally told me that I have not ranted my cynicism on the blog for some time now. And so here I am again... but here I am because something happened today. Had been feeling nostalgic for the past couple of days and wanted to go back in time. Today kind of did!

Wife and kid were away in Bangalore and it was parrtttttyyyy time :-)...well not really.. that's what I guess all married men would like to do and think when their wife goes away from home.

Actually the bubble really bursts when you your life life still goes on -- morning maid, a hurried breakfast which is usually coffee (filter of course :-)), a couple of hurriedly made toast which are usually somewhat brownish black in color and juice if one can find any. Then close the house ... ya it becomes a house more than a home :-)...then rush to office ..work work gossip gossip, lunch at the office cafeteria or sharing colleagues lunch boxes ...then one comes back to the house. and then starts the eternal question of what to have for dinner as through out the day one has not had much food ;-).

So this was the routine I had been following for sometime. Though am a good cook (I hold a degree in Hotel Management and used to stay alone for a better part of my life, which ensured that I start cooking and also in my growing up years used to see my dad and mom cook fantastic food), these were some days when I just did not want to cook and eat alone.

But kya karen...paapi pet ka sawal tha..and my stomach was growling and threatening to stop functioning. So.. in order to appease my stomach had to eat..lest I start spending more time in the loo :-).
So the fisrt 2-3 days, cleared up all the food in the fridge. Leftovers basically..my wife is a good cook ;-).

From Pepsico Quaker Upma

Then started the days of reckoning..no food in the house...so started a hunt..and hallelujah!!! i found a few packs of these ready to eat stuff
Quaker has come out with these ready to eat Upma and Poha. Ready in three minutes. Good stuff..finished all packs at home except the one you see here.

Was planning to make this today.

THEN this strange feeling of nostalgia enveloped me. And kinda had a flashback. Don't blame me for this...the weather in Delhi today is such...that it brought back memories..memories of me standing behind my dad in the kitchen. Mom sitting in the balcony. And I eagerly waiting with wide eyes for the pressure cooker to open, the green chilies to be cut and the sweet aroma of coconut oil when roasted enveloping the entire house...Yes! am a mixed breed..part Tamil Part Kannadiga Part Mallu and Part Delhi...ukhaad lo jo Ukhaadna hai :-)..so I like coconut oil ..lots of uses for that too.

Nostalgia and memories makes one do a lot of things.. in a trance.. I went out all the way to VasantVihar..got Sweet Potatoes ..and came back. Time was kind of standing still.

Somehow went back to the past..saw my dad washing the sweet potatoes, putting them into the pressure cooker, lighting the gas, cutting the green chilies, pouring the coconut oil into a small pan, heating it up, adding the cut chilies and salt, frying them up for a couple of minutes..the pressure cooker whistled thrice..and voila everything was plated up..

From the kitchens of my dad

It took me about 8 minutes to finish this off..all the while I was this 4 feet tall 8 year old, slurping away with a smile!

Yep, this is something which Hotel Management does not teach us. These are recipes that life and parents teach us.

Oh by the way just for general knowledge, sweet potatoes are a great street food here in North India. They roast them add some chat masala / a mixture of spices and squeeze a lemon and give it to you. A must try if you are ever in Delhi in the winters. How does it look? click here

So signing off for today! :-) need to rush to the airport..mu house to become a home today again :-) Wife and kid are back.. NOW it is party time!

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The driving tips by my good friend Rajiv Dubey to a very large extent were very meaningful. The one thing it did for me was to look at other people doing their "Delhi Driving" and make me smile and laugh most of the times.

Now sometimes when I want God to show me a way..I tend to go stand next to the driver who honks the loudest..I see "Gujjar Boys" written on rear windshield of a car..I think of getting myself a Rayban and get into a courageous mode of "Never Hide".

We sure need to really ponder about when we are following these rules..unknowingly or knowingly. After all we are the TRAFFIC !

Delhi Driving Rule # 14:Evolution of Delhi Drivers:
All drivers in the city have graduated from small vehicles to big vehicles, for example:
Cycle->Moror Cycle->Car
Moror Cycle->Car->SuV
Rickshaw->Auto Rickshaw->Bus
No Wonder all why Car Drivers drive their cars like Motor Bikes. Bus Drivers drive like Auto Rickshaws. Auto Rickshaws drive like Rickshaws.

Delhi Driving Rule # 15: Which lane to drive in?
Right most lane is where you should drive, irrespective of your speed and capacity of vehicle. The other two lanes are just for decoration purposes and for illegal parking/encroachment. Driving in right most lane protects your car from being overtaken from the right side ;) — at Delhi!!!

a. Tu Janata Nahin Main Kaun Hoon? (Dont you know who I am?)
b. Lo Baat Karo!! (Dials a phone number and get the Cop to speak to someone).
c. Sorry Sir, I am in a hurry...my wife is in Hospital..about to deliver.
d. Sorry Sir, Loose Motion! Running Stomach etc.
e. Sorry Sir, Galti Se Mistake! I thought that RED light was a sign to "Jump" the light.
f. Sorry I did not know (about license which expired 2 years ago).
g. Sorry Sir, Will never do this again! (After the Challan Ticket has been issued).
h. Negotiate the final deal!

Delhi Driving Rule # 18: Parking
We don't park our cars, we just stop them where ever we want. Try Parking in CP or Nehru Place- you cant get out by opening any of the doors. Now, the Car companies are working on an option that you could remove the engine and get out by opening the front Hood!! — in New Delhi.

Delhi Driving Rule # 19: Driving in Space!!
We drive in 'Space"!! Hell No! that does not make us astronauts!!
We drive where ever we find SPACE on the road and off the road, shoulder of the road, side walk, foot path, opposite side of the road, on Escalators (check this out on foot over bride @ ITO), Subways etc. etc. We are Space-Riders!! Yay that makes us awesome!

Delhi Driving Rule # 20: Horn Ok Please!
The Horn has to be used for following purposes:
1. To Scare away the pedestrians
2. To alert the car ahead of you, for your arrival
3. To Turn Left
4. To Turn Right
5. To go Straight
6. To take a "U" turn
7. In case your brakes are not working
8. In case your head lights are off and you cant see anything (at least people will hear your arrival)
9. To Over take someone
10. To let someone overtake you (very rare)
11. Generally...to make sure that its working alright and battery has not failed....